Chick gone

[JJ]

I had a chick that had peeped and was making alot of noise so I put it back under mother hen and came back 4 hours later to see a hatched chick instead just a shell no chick to be found, did she eat it or did another hen or rooster eat it. it is her first attempt at hatching babies. I was so close to a baby!

 

[boseld]

it could be tucked under her wing if you are lifting her up u will find chick tightly tucked under and been lifted with her if u know what i mean

 

[JJ]

This happened a few days ago there is no chick in her box with her.

 

[goldnchocolate]

Did you look underneath her? Are there any other eggs under her?

 

[dancingbear]

Sometimes a chick dies at hatch, it may not have had anything to do with the hen. Or maybe she didn't know what to do with the chick when it hatched, and it got squashed or suffocated.

If the chick died in the nest, it's probably flattened out under the bedding. I've had this sort of thing happen, they can be hard to find. Especially if a lot of straw or wood shaving or whatever are stuck to it.

Did you have a hen setting on just one egg? Did you take it out from under her and see it was pipped?

 

[JJ]

The hen had 6 eggs total and yes i did handle it an place it back under her. I went through the bedding no chick thats why I think one of them ate it. This is her first attempt of hatching eggs.
She did go back and is sill sitting on the remaining 5 eggs.
what should I do? when I see a pip should I pull the egg out and put it under a lamp or should I isolate the mother hen and the eggs from the other hens and Rooster.
Thanks so much for the info this website is great!

 

[Judy]

Some people isolate a setting hen, and some leave them with the flock. It's a personal choice. Several things could have happened here. Even if the mother ate the baby, it does not necessarily mean she will eat the rest; there could have been something wrong with it; it could even have hatched and died.

If you leave her with her flock, you won't have to reintegrate them later. If another chicken killed the baby, isolating could prevent that. My preference is to isolate only during setting, but in a cage in the same coop with the others, and remove the cage when the chicks hatch. I might lose a chick this way (haven't yet) but I want a flock that can survive together.

Hatching eggs under a broody or in an incubator have one thing in common: they are best left alone! You didn't hurt anything to take it out and look at it, but I would not keep it out and try to hatch it somewhere else, I would put it back under mama.

Personal choice. And good luck.

 

[nhnanna]

Quote:
I would move the nest and isolate it just in case.
Good luck

 

[dancingbear]

Sometimes when you try to move a broody this late, she'll freak out and try to go back where she was. This late, it's probably better to leave her alone, and quit messing with the eggs. If you lose them, you'll know to start out differently next time, isolate the broody from the beginning, rather than try to change it all now.

Some will let you move them, though, if you feel you have to, you can try it, Just be prepared to move her right back, if she freaks out.

 

[JJ]

I went in there tonight and a different hen is now sitting on them and she is not so easy going she fussed alot when i moved here to check on the eggs. what should I do ? Let her take over and finish hatching them. I've got issues! thanks for the help. (JJ)